Re: [PATCH v4] branch: allow "-" as a shortcut for "previous branch"

Rubén Justo <rjusto@gmail.com> writes:

I am sorry that this is now at v4, but let's not do this.

"git checkout -" was started purely because "cd -" is a fairly well known way to say "go back to the previous directory" (it is "cd ~-" in some shells).

No shells accept "mv - newname" to rename the directory we were previously in, or "rmdir -" to remove it. And "diff -r - ." does not compare the previous and the current directory recursively. But all of these can be done (with some shells) if you use a proper syntax, "mv ~- newname", "rmdir ~-", or "diff -r ~- .".

Yes, we may have by mistake added "git merge -" as well, but it is perfectly fine to say that we should admit it as a mistake and plan to possibly deprecate it in the longer term. We shouldn't use it as an excuse to make things even more confusing.

Thanks. I think your other "git branch -d @{-1}" thing is sound, though.